The Happy Days Soap Factory

A tale of big business in a small town and scallywags.

One of those places I've passed by dozens of times en route to somewhere else. Well on April 9th I was en route to somewhere else, but that day I decided to visit and enjoy the view.

The factory is right beside the Temple of Praise and just a couple of truck lengths from the Trading Post where you can by guitars and ammo. And for those more adventurous souls, within a couple of miles of back roads, there's a "Three Goat's Soap," an Alpaca Farm, and the "clothing optional" resort known as White Tail.

And, no - they're not talking about deer.

And there’s history here that others have revealed to me. Jodie Cofield, has shared some fascinating information about the edifice from the "Architectural Survey of Isle of Wight County and the Town of Windsor in Virginia."

"Modest factories were constructed near town and urban centers along the railroad lines. Many no longer survive, but the Happy Days Soap Factory in Zuni is a rare example of this type of building. The factory is comprised of two portions and could be misinterpreted as a building combining residential and commercial functions. The rear portion was an open space for the manufacture of soap products. Loading doors on the side would have facilitated the shipping of goods manufactured on site."

Jill Peters has filled in some history too. “The former Happy Days Soap Factory. Not a very happy story though... Apparently two people from somewhere out west came and sold bonds to build the factory which employed 25 people. Once the business was thriving they took off with the profits leaving 25 people unemployed and many holding worthless bonds.”

These are the certificates them dirty, rotten, scoundrels sold.

This photograph fails to convey the length of this building because of the build up of foliage.

The door's locked, and I bet that meter hasn't run in years, but someone sits and watches the traffic roll by.

I did come back by this in the winter and now am able to show you the depth, how large, this building was.